Cleaning apparatus



May 22, 1956 c. D. DEMPsl-:Y ET AL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 11, 1953 @Onooowoo o 00 000 A Y Y 00o a0 aooooopon 0.o 00000000 2,746,467 CLEANING APPARATUS j Charles D. Dempsey and Kenneth E. Dempsey, Oak

Park, Ill., assignors to Dempsey and Stanley, Inc., Chii cago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Our invention relates to cleaning apparatus, and more yparticularly to apparatus adapted to clean foreign matter from objects such as machinery and parts thereof.

Various cleaning compounds are available which are capable of removing grease, oil, carbon, rust, paint and other impurities from the surface of metal objects. These cleaning compounds may be applied to the objects in various ways. Usually a certain amount of brushing, wiping or other form of agitation is required in connection with the cleaning process.'l In many instances the most satisfactory procedure is to immerse the objects to be cleaned in a liquid containing the cleaning compound, and to subject the liquid to agitation for a period of time.

One object of our invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus which is effective to impart a highly efiicient form of .agitation to a body of cleaning uid.

Anothertobject is to provide such apparatus in combination with a container adapted to receivecleaning lluid and objects to be cleaned.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus which is portable in character and which may be utilized with containers of various types such as metal barrels of varying sizes.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this character which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and capable of a long, trouble free useful life.

In brief, the invention comprises a vertically disposed tube adapted to lie along one side of a container filled with cleaning fluid. The lower end of the tube termi# nates just about the container bottom, say from two to twelve inches, and it is shaped to discharge fluid in a direction generally normal to the tube axis, i. e., toward the opposite `side of the container. A drive shaft extends downwardly into the upper end `of the tube, and a iluid driving impeller is carried on the shaft within the tube. A suitable motor is arranged in driving relation with the shaft. The level of the cleaning fluid in the container is somewhat above the top of the vertically disposed tube. ln operation, the impeller is effective to force liquid to ow down the tube and out the lower end at a substantial velocity. The reduced pressure above the impeller insures a constant and adequte owV of Huid into the upper end of the tube. The discharging uid at the lower end of the tube produces a pronounced rolling motion in the body of the fluid. This rolling motion has beenl foun to produce exceptionally efficient cleaning. Other objects, advantages and details of our invention United States Patent will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein two forms of the invention are shown. It is to be understood that the description and drawings are illustrative only, and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of cleaning apparatus constructed according to the invention, the apparatus being shown in combination with a specially designed container;

j sides 7, 8, 9 and 10, and a hinged cover 11. Container 5 is shown filled with cleaning fluid to a level indicated at Side 7, the rear side of the illustrated container, has a central, vertically extending portion 15 olsetfrom the plane of the side in a direction exterior of the container. The purpose of this offset is to provide a region for the reception of parts of the apparatus which will be more or less isolated from the interior of the container. Thus such parts of the apparatus will be protected from possible damage by objects placed in the container,

A screen 17 having interstices of substantial size is lo'- `cated in the lower portion of container 5. It is constructed of rigid material, such as bar steel, and is supported a short distance above bottom 5 in a rigid manner. Objects to be cleaned rest on screen 17, which in effect is a false bottom, and thus are kept out of engagement with main bottom 6.

A vertically disposed tube 20 is located more or less centrally in the region defined by offset portion 15 of container side 7. Tube 20 is rigidly mounted in proper position by suitable supporting structure (not shown).

The lower end 21 of tube 20 is shaped to discharge uid in a direction generally normal to the tube axis, and, the tube is oriented so as to discharge fluid toward the opposite side of the container, namely, front side 8.

Upper end 22 of tube 20 terminates at a point which is somewhat below the level 12 of the fluid in container 5. As here used, the term upper end of tube 20 refers to the top of the tube, as shown in the drawing, or tov a portion of the tube which is so cut away that duid may enter the tube at such portion. In other words, the tube may extend upwardly all the way to the top of the container, and in such instance, a portion of the tube is cut away in the region designated 22. This region, therefore, is the effective upper end of the tube from the standpoint of permitting the entry of fluid.

A drive'shaft 25, aligned with the tube axis, extends from above into tube 20. A uid driving impeller 26 is carried on the lower end of shaft 25, the elevation of impeller 26 being somewhat below upper end 22 of the tube.

Impeller 26 is properlyl pitched and rotated to-move fluid downwardly in tube 20.- Also, the clearance between the blade tips of impeller 26 and the inner wall of tube 20 is maintained as small as possible. Rubbing, of course, should be avoided. k

The top of the region defined by offset portion 15Ais capped by a plate 29 which` is suitably secured to side 7 of the container. The lateral wings of plate 29 serve to brace the assembly.

A motor 30 is mounted on plate 29 and the shaft thereby is suitably connected in driving relation to shaft 25; .With shaftZS `rigidly connected to the motor shaft,

the bearings present in the motor usually are adequate fluid is discharged from the lower end 21 of the tube as indicated by arrows 35 toward the opposite, front side 8 of the container. It should be noted that the lower end 21 of the tube is positioned above screen 17.

Fluid discharge from the lower end of tube 20 is effective to impart a rolling motion to substantially all the iluid'V in container 5. The direction of thisv rolling` motion is generally indicated by the arrow 36 applied to side 9i. It also is morev or less diagrammatically shown by the. arrows 37 distributed throughout the body of the container.

The reduced pressure appearing at the rear of impeller-26 is effective to draw fluidinto the upper end 22 of tube 20 in sutlicient quantity to sustain the rolling motion, it being. remembered that the upper end 22 is located somewhat below the level 12 of the fluid.

Objects to be cleaned, such as machinery or the like, are introduced in container in any reasonable quantity and such objects rest either on screen 17 or on each other. -The rotary circulation of the cleaning fluid is somewhat distorted due to the uid flow against parts of the objects, but the general circulation .path is rotary in character. The Vcirculation thus provided' has been found to produce an agitation which is effective to clean the objects in a considerably shorter period of time than any form of agitation previously used. In addition, this rolling form of agitation can be produced by our apparatus with comparatively small power consumption.

In Figs. 2 and 3 we have illustrated another form of our apparatus, a more general form than that shown in Fig. 1. This apparatus adapted to be employed with containers of various shapes and sizes such, for example, as steel ba-rrels. The latter are suggested because of their usual availability in establishments where our apparatus normally is employed.

Our Figs. 2 and 3 apparatus is portable in character, that, it may be moved from container to container. The apparatus includes suitable supporting structure and means whereby it may be clamped detachably to a contaner side. Y Y -v As here illustrated, the supporting structure comprises an inverted L-shaped plate member 40, the longer leg 4I of which is vertically disposed and has a length about three-fourths of the depth of a container of average size. The other leg 42 ishorizontally disposed and considerably shorter in length, as shown in Fig. 2.

A second inverted L-shaped plate member 44, considerably smaller in size than member 40, has its shorter, horizontal leg 45 secured to the other horizontal leg 42 inany suitable manner such as bybolt46. j Other and vertical leg 47 of member 44 extends in spaced, parallel relation with the upper portion of theother vertical leg 41, as shown in Fig. 2. Clamping screws or the like 48 extend through leg 47 into engagement with container wall 50, the latter being clamped between the screws 48 and vertical leg 41 of member 40.

A plate 52 is positioned on the upper face of horizontal leg 42 of member 40, plate 52 being shown as secured by bolt 46. Plate 52 is of suflicient length to. extend a substantial distance beyond the edge of horizontal leg 42, the portion of plate 52 extendingbeyondl the said edge being disposed over the inten'or of the'container holes in leg 41 may beused for securing tube 57 whichv l troduced into the container for cleaning- 68 formed in generally semi-cylindrical shape.

n In the usual case, it is desired that the lower end of tube 57 be locatednear the bottom vof the container. The row of uniformly spaced holes 55 in leg 41 and the cooperating pair .of similarly spaced holes in tube 57 enables the latter tol be positioned with its lower end near the container bottom regardless of variations in depth of different containers. Any appropriate pair of will properly position the tubeV A motor 60 is mounted on plate 52 in position to drive a shaft 6l which extends in spaced parallel relation with leg 41 of member 40. VShaft 61 is aligned with the axis of tube 57,'as shown, and it carries an impeller 63 at or near its lower end. .lmpeller 63 is located within tube 57, and it is adjustable along shaft 61 to accommodate various positionings of the tube on leg 41.

An adjustable bearing 65 is provided for shaft 61. Bearing 65 has a threaded extension 66 which is rcceivable in any one of the holes 55' in leg 41 to enable the bearing to be. located in proper vertical position depcndingon the length of shaft 61 and the positioning of tube 57. Adjustable bearing 65 and the bearings of motor 60, and perhaps a bearing plate 52, are sufficient to insure proper support of shaft 6l.

A. removable screen or perforated sheet metal filter 67 is mounted on leg 41 in surrounding relation with shaft 61. Filter 67 extends generally'from the top of tube 57 to the top of the container.

Filter 67 has several functions. Firstly, it protects shaft 61, bearing 65 and the upper part of tube 57 by physically shielding them from the heavy objects in- Sccondly, it prevents solid foreign matter given up by the work during the cleaning operation from entering tube 57 and damaging impeller 63 or its action. Thirdly7 it catches such foreign matter, and enables removal of same from the bath by merely removing the filter and washing it oli. Thus. the bath conveniently can be kept relatively free of refuse.

As shown, filter 67 comprises a perforated metal sheet Each longitudinal edge of sheet 68 has attached thereto a leg 69 (Fig. 3).v of an angle iron 70 which may extend the Vfull length of sheet 68. The other leg of each angle iron 7b, namely leg 71, extends laterally outwardly from the sheet edge,`as shown in Fig. 3.

Leg 71 of each angle iron is provided with a recess 72 which receives a headed stud 73 such as a carriage bolt carried by leg 41 of the supporting structure. Metal when the apparatus is mounted in operati-ng position, as

shown.

Vertical leg 41 of member 40 is provided with a vertica-l row of spaced holes 55, the spacing between the respective holes being uniform. Holes 55 preferably are threaded interiorly.

A relatively short-length cylindrical tube S7 is Vattached tov vertical leg 41 of member 40 by means of suitable screws 58. The latter pass through a cooperating pair of spaced holes in tube 57k into threaded relationship with any pair of adjacent holes 55' in leg 41. Lower end 59 of tubeI 57 is shaped to discharge fluid in a direction generallyA normal' to the tube axis.

sheet 63 is sufficiently resilient so that the angle irons 79 may be moved toward cach other to effect disengagement of the headed studs 73, thus readily releasing iilter 67 for removal and cleaning. With this arrangement, filter 67 is readily remounted in operating position.

`The portable apparatus of Figs. 2 and 3 is originally Vmanufactured and sold in such size as to be accommodated in containers of greater than average depth. The variable length features are such' that the apparatus may be adjusted easily for use in containers of average depth and slightly below. In case it is desired to use the apparatus with a container having a depth substantially below average, it is a simple matter to cut off short lengths of leg 41, shaft 61 and filter 67 so as to adapt the apparatus for such a container.

. A screen 75 preferably should be used to provide a false bottom in the container below the lower end 59 of tube 57 to trap sediment. Articles to be cleaned rest on this screen and'on each oth-er.

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apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or losing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Cleaning apparatus for attachment to one side of a container comprising clamp structure including an elongated leg adapted to extend vertically along the inner surfaceof said container side, said leg having a vertical row of uniformly spaced holes therein, a tube having a pair of securing means extending into an adjacent pair of said leg holes to adjustably mount said tube on said leg with the lower tube end near the container bottom, said lower tube end being shaped to disch-arge iiuid in a direction generally normal to the tube axis and toward the opposite side of the container, a drive shaft extending into the upper end of said tube, an impeller within said tube and adjustably mounted on said shaft, and a motor carried by saidclamp structure in driving relation with said shaft.

2. The combination of claim 1 with the addition of a bearing to support said shaft between said motor and said tube, said bearing having an extension received in one of the several holes in said leg.

3. The combination of claim 1 with the addition of a removable filter screen extending generally from the top of said tube to the top of said container and functioning to protect said shaft and prevent solid foreign matter from entering said tube.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,017,100 Jones Feb. 13, 1912 1,041,533 Wagner Oct. 15, 1912 1,262,962 Lewis Apr. 16, 1918 1,673,594 Schmidt June 12, 1928 1,701,864 Reinhardt Feb. 12, 1929 1,826,015 Morton Oct. 6, 1931 1,943,175 Gough Jan. 9, 1934 2,702,464 Bohm Feb. 22, 1955 

